How the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels help Kentucky tornado victims: Opinion
While I have been a Kentucky Colonel since 1979, it wasn’t until three decades later that I became aware of the good works of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Through that awareness, I have proudly participated in its philanthropic efforts for the past 15 years.
Last month I participated with the Colonels in a spring Day of Service with Pennyrile Region Habitat for Humanity tornado recovery effort in Madisonville. As a side note, the HOKC coordinated over 120 Colonel volunteers in seven locations across the state that day. It was gratifying to see Colonels show up for their fellow Kentuckians to bring that western Kentucky community back from the destruction of those December tornados. Colonels came from Paducah, Memphis, TN, Bowling Green and Louisville to help begin the framing of a new home.
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The Monday after those tornados hit our neighbors in western Kentucky, the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels committed $3.5 million in aid to help their recovery. This was generously jump-started by a $2 million challenge from a Colonel living in Texas. Colonels around the world have stepped up since then with nearly $600,000, including a recent notable contribution from an Indianapolis-area Colonel who showed up at the Madisonville event with a check for $100,000. As of Derby Week, the Colonels have distributed $1,148,000 in emergency grants to 37 organizations assisting the people of western Kentucky.
While the generosity of Kentucky Colonels continues to amaze me, that spirit of charity might be exceeded by hundreds of nonprofit organizations across the commonwealth. From the one-person agency asking for our help to purchase 4,878 pairs of underwear for people dealing with homelessness to the scout camp working to accommodate scouts with physical challenges, and from the historic cemetery securing their sacred ground to the group working to provide locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to economically-challenged neighbors who live in food deserts. The list goes on, and so does the need. From Newport to Bowling Green, Ashland to Paducah and all points in between, these amazing nonprofit organizations are delivering incredible services with limited financial resources. It’s just a chorus of angels at every turn.
For the past few weeks, 15 trustees and staff of the Honorable Order have been meeting with 321 grant applicants to ensure that the money from contributing Colonels does the most good for the neediest Kentuckians. This vetting process is one of the main reasons many Colonels are so generous. As one Colonel has told me, “you’re able to give my money better than I ever could.”
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Because a Colonel gave, we will provide nearly 80% of the funds requested by those nonprofits. Total 2022 grants distributed will exceed last year by $1 million, and I expect those grants will touch the lives of more than four million Kentuckians.
Only the governor who commissions a Kentucky Colonel knows the reasons for each commission, and there are thousands of Colonels still unaware of the extent to which they can improve the lives of citizens in the Commonwealth through the Honorable Order. To those Colonels, I extend an invitation to learn more about the philanthropic efforts of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels at KyColonels.org.
So, the next time you see someone with a Kentucky Colonel license plate or sticker in their window, please take the time to stop and say, “Thanks, Colonel!”
Nick Ising is a sixth-generation and lifelong Kentuckian. When he’s not vetting grants or otherwise working as a trustee for the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, he’s busy at his day job as president of Current360, a Louisville advertising/marketing company.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: How Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels help Kentucky tornado victims
